Orthopedic shoe arch support



y 1929. H. MANSFIELD 1,715, 65

ORTHO PEDIC SHOE ARCH SUPPORT- Filed Feb. 5, 1927 INVENTOR lbrapejlf z'elzi ATTORNEY.

Patented Ma 28, 1929.

UNITED s'r HORACE MANSFIELD, or YONKEBS, NEW YORK, Amendsenema-HALF To, RICHARD R. MANSFIELD, or YONKERS, NEW YORK.

ORTHOPEDTC SHOE ARGI-I SUPPORT.

Application filed February 3, 1927. Serial N'0; '165,6 34.

This invention relates to orthopedic arch supports for correcting fallen arches and for other purposes, and more particularly to supports for attachment to the shank ofshoes.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device of this kind which may be easily attached to ordinary shoes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device of this kind which will support or strengthen the shank of the shoe without destroying its flexibility.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device of this kind which may be adjusted for different conditions of arches, form improvement and change of condition of the arch, and to coinpensate for change in the shoe from use.

Other objects of the invention are to iinprove generally the simplicity and efficiency of such'devices and to provide a device or apparatus of this kind which is helpful, durable and reliable and sightly in use, econon1ical to manufacture, and which will not injure the shoe. 7

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described and claimed, the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims. i

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with two improved arch supports whiclnbriefly stated, include a plate adapted to be secured to a shoe sole and having a downturned rear end flange having a perforation receiving a bolt. One form of the invention has a band adapted to go around the shoe heel and having end portions near said perforation provided with registering threaded bores. The bolt is received in said perforation and bores and holds the flange and said ends adjustably connected so as to form an adjustable brace or strut for the shank of the shoe. In another form of the invention, the shoe has a bore passing longitudinally through the heel and receiving an internally threaded bushing having an outturned flange at the rear end. The'bolt isdisposed in said perforation and bushing and holds the plate and said ends connected.

. in the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, two of many possible em' bodnnents of the invention,

F 1g. 1 1s a fragmental side elevation showing oneforin of the support attached to a shoe,

-F1g. 2 1s a bottom view of the device as in F 1g. 1;

Fig. 3 is an erect longitudinalvertical sectional view, partly in elevation, and on an enlarged scale, showing the arch support 'de' tached, the section being taken on the line 33 of Fig.2, looking in the direction of the arrow of said line; 2 Fig. 4 is a fragmental side elevation showing another form of the invention; and I Fig. 5 is a fragmental rear end elevation showingthe form of Fig. 4.

My improved arch support of Figs. 1 to 3 is shown in connection wlth a shoe 10,

and comprises a sole plate 11, a heel band 12 V and a connecting bolt 13.

The sole plate 11 is connected to thesole of the shoe by rivets 15 and has its forward edge-portion 16 laterally extended nearly across the sole of theshoe just behind the,

ball of the foot and somewhat forwardly angularly advanced atthe outer part 17 of the sole to conform to, the shape of the foot.

The rear part of the plate comprises a rearwa'rdlyv extended narrow longitudinal flat portion 20 engaging the sole and having downturned side flanges 21 approximate ly trlangular in shape and an end flange 22 joining an edge of each side flange to'form a forwardly open rearwardlyclosed bolt-head housing and provided with a central perforation receiving the bolt 13.

' The-heel band 12is preferably slightly downwardly forwardly inclined and dis posed around the heel of the shoe near the upper part thereof, and comprises a curved rear, or intermediate, portion 25 forcing its upper rear edge to dent into the rear of the lapping ends 27, 28 3' and its front end is pro lOQ in the forwardly open part-of the housing to engage said slot, t'herebyto turn-the-screw and tension the support for strengthening the shank without destroying" its iiex1b1lity,"or

' on further tensioning to adjustably raise the shank to conform to different feet or to com pensatefor loss of stiffeningoi the shoe through use, or to conform the shoe to change in the foot as thefoot is improved by use of the support.

A lock nut 82 on the threadedend of the bolt and engaging one of said overlapping ends locks the bolt against loss and holds the 7 supportin, adjustment.

The variousparts of the device may be made of steel or other suitable metal, which may berendered rust-proof by tinni'ngor the like. Y I p p In the form of invention of Fig.4, the shoe heel 83 has a slightly downwardly inclined bore 34 passing through theheel near its main axis. This'bore receivesan internally threaded bushing 35 having an out-turned flange 36 at the rear end to forma head engaging the rear of the shoe heel. T he bolt 13 is disposed in said perforation of the rear flange 22 and said threaded bushing and holds the plate and said ends connected as in the other form of the invention.

The operation oi the other support is obvious from the foregoing. The support is applied as shown and the bolt tightened until theshanlr of theshoe will be held at the proper height .lVhilejthus held, the shank of the shoe is quite flexible due to the dis placement from its normal position when the bolt 13 is tightened, and may be flexed downwardly againstthe actioii of the spring portion 26,0r may be freely fiexed up or twisted. This flexibility permits the arch andmuscles of the i'oot to be massaged "and exercised whilewalking. v

Increased tension of the bolt increases the amount of support to suit the strength of the foot; and as the strength increases, the support may be lessened.

It thearch of the foot too low,"the bolt maybe tensioned to raise the arch slightly at first, and then more as the arch hasbecomea'ccustomed to the slight increase] 7 hen the sliaiikot theshoe begins to lower.

from loss of stiffness of the shoe or use, the shank may be brought up to normalby tensioning the bolt. r

I claim as my invention: 1. An arch support comprising a member-adaptedtobe secured to a shoe sole a member having a resilientp ortion'adaptedto embrace ashoe heel and a device adjustably connecting said members;

An arch support comprising a. member d An arclrsiipport" comprising a plate adapted to be secured'to a shoe sole and having mei'nher having a. perforation; a band adapted go around the shoeheel and having end portions near said perforation provided with registering threaded bores; and

a bolt in said perforation and bores and holding said'member and said ends against separation.

4. Anarch support comprising a member adapted to be secured to'a shoe sole; a memher adapted tobe secured to ashoe heel, said second member having a spring clamping means connecting said member's.

5. An arch support comprising a member adapted to be secured to. shoe sole; a springy member adapted to embrace a shoe heel; and a device connecting said members.

An arch'support comprising a member adapted to be securedlto a shoe sole; a band adapted'to be secured around a shoe heeland having a forward sprint portion and adevice connecting said memberandportion.

7. An arch supportcomprising a member adapted'to be secured to the sole of-a shoe; a heel band adapted to be'arranged around the shoe heel with its upper rear edge dent- .ing into the upper rear part the heel; said band having overlapping end portions near said per torationv prov ded with registering threadedbores; and a threaded bolt insaid bores and attached to. said member holding the flange and said-ends against'separation. 8. An arch support comprising a plate adapted to be secured to the sole of a shoe and provided with anattachmen-t member; a

member having a forward spring portion adapted to embrace the heel ofthe shoe; and

a device connecting said members.

SLA shoe-arch support, comprising a sole plate adapted to be secured we shoe sole and have its forward portion laterally extended just behind the ball of the-foot; the rear part 01 the plate being formed into an attach- Qment member; a member ha-ving a forward spring portion adapted to embracethe shoe heel; and a "deviceiconnectin'g said members.

10. An arch support comprising .a plate adapted to be secured to a shoe sole, the rear of the plate comprising a longitudinal portion having .downturned side and rear flanges, the latter being providedwith a? pertor-ation; a member adapted to embrace the shoe'heel provided with a" threaded-perforation and a bolt in said perforations provided with ahead engagedagainst the inner face .of said end flange. I;

1 :1. shoe-arch support .comprisi'ng asole plate-ada, tedtobesecured to'a shoesole and have its orward portion laterally'ex tended just behind the ball of the foot; the rear of the plate comprising a longitudinal portion having downturned side and rear end flanges, the latter being provided with aperforation; a heel bandadapted to be arranged around the shoe heel with its upper rear edge denting into the heel; said band having overlapping end portions near said perforation provided with registering threaded bores; and a bolt in said perforation provided with a head engaged against the end flange.

12. An arch support comprising a plate adapted to be secured to a shoe sole and having a downturned rear end flange having a perforation; a slightly downwardly and forwardly inclined metallic heel band adapted to be disposed around the heel of the shoe near the upper part thereof and comprising a curved rear or intermediate portion forcing its upper rear edge to dent into the rear of the heel, and conformably engaging the rear and side faces of the heel,inwardly inclined spring portions joining the curved portion and pointing inwardly and rearwardly, and overlapping end portions provided with registeringthreaded ends; and a bolt in said perforation and bores and holding the flange and said ends against separation.

13. An arch-support for a shoe, said sup port comprising a sole plate adaptedto be riveted to the sole of a. shoe and have its forward edge-portion laterally extended nearly across the sole of the shoe just behind the ball of the foot and somewhat'forwardly and angularly advanced at the outerpart of the sole to conform to the foot; the rear part of the plate comprising a rearwardly extend ed narrow longitudinal flat portion adapted to engage the sole and having downturne'd triangular slde flanges and an end flange oining an edge of each side flange to form head housing and provided With a central perforation;a band adapted to go around the shoe heel and having end portions near said perforation provided with registering threaded bores; aiida bolt in said perforation and bores and holding the end flange and said ends connected; v l v 14. An arch support comprising a plate adapted to be secured to a shoe sole and having a downturned side and rear end flanges forming a housing, the end flange having a )erforation' a band ada )ted to '0 around the shoe heel and having end portions near said perforation provided With registering threaded bores; a bolt in said hole having its rear end threaded and received in said bores I i and its front end provided with a bolt head in said housing engaged against said end flange and provided with a tool recelvlng slot whereby actool may be disposed in the forwardly open part of the housing to engage said slot thereby to tension the support for strengthening the arch without destroying its flexibility, or on further tensioning to adjustably raise the arch to compensate for loss of stifiening ofythe shoe through a forwardly open, rearwardly closed bolt- 

